Exciting Week

I have a very exciting week coming up. There are several very thrilling things happening in my life in the next week.

On Monday Josh and I are planning to drive to meet my sister Emma and her fiance Matt somewhere between here and KY to bring them back home. They have resigned full-time ministry with EJM and will be coming home to find jobs and plan their wedding. I'm so excited about this because while I am completely grateful for Emma's opportunity to travel and grow with EJM, I have really really missed her and let me just say, we are going to be laughing so much and having a blast once she gets back.

AND............

On Tuesday we have tickets to see U2 in Atlanta. Not only does this mean that we are going to soar on the wings of beautiful healing music Tuesday night, but my boys are spending the evening with my aunt Jill who is a blast and who I love so much. I will get to hang out a little bit with her when we drop the boys off and I'm really excited about that. As for the concert, do I really have to explain the greatness that it is going to be to my soul? I am looking forward to some extreme healing and ministry to come down from above. I'm sure by the end of the night I will have had my heart ripped out and be ready to change the world.

So, needless to say, this is all very exciting! I am counting down the days. Another noteworthy aspect of the next few days is my Mommy's corn chowder which I will be enjoying tomorrow evening! Woohoo!

this morning

This morning has already consisted of some very typical things:

• Lex joining me in our bed. So sweet.

• Coffee!

• Breakfast for the boys. Lex wanted applesauce. Cole got a bottle and fruit.

• The boys played for a while on a blanket in the floor. They really enjoy each other's company already!
• Lots of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Dora episodes. I was able to bribe Lex into watching 2 Charlie & Lola episodes. I love them!
• Baby Cole (as we call him around here) is taking a nap.
• Laundry
  
• And an early lunch. Lex and I had sandwiches.

My life probably sound pretty drab to some but believe me, there's never a lack of excitement or comedy around here.

That's all for now. As for the exercise program...ha! I'm trying something different. Stay tuned for more on that.

Reinstating the Blog

I spend a lot of time on facebook. I think short and to the point is generally the way to go these days. However, being someone that appreciates written word, I have decided that I do not feel fulfilled in the journaling aspect of my life. So, I am reinstating the practice of blogging in my life. I may not say anything good, but I do have a lot to say. In this area, the notes on facebook do not do my feelings and thoughts justice.

So, if you want, join me here and grow with me.

Progress? No.

Soooo, I "started" my program but have not actually done a great job of following it. This past weekend was my oldest son's birthday so mixed in with partying and celebrating his turning 3 was the stress and added effort of entertaining family. So, that would be my excuse. The other part of the delay is that I have not yet established a solid routine for my workouts.

I have been sticking to my calorie counting so I have not gained any weight this week. I weigh in this morning at 128.5.

I have realized that working out in the morning or late evening is NOT going to happen. So, since the workout videos are on our computer and Josh has to burn those DVDs for me at the church, today I will do an intense yoga workout that I have here at the house. Tomorrow afternoon I will have my Slim In 6 videos on DVD. At least I will be doing something today. That is the idea. DO SOMETHING.

I will start the workouts tomorrow in Phase 2.

Starting Slim In 6

So today I am officially starting the Slim In 6 program. Basically, this is a workout program where I will hopefully be able to tone up and slim down in the next six weeks. I am planning on doing my own food plan since I hate dieting menus and always spend more money that way. I will watch my calories, trying to eat about 1400 a day.
Hopefully, I can stay accountable to the program by blogging daily on my progress.

Josh will be home later and I will post measurements then.

The goal: Pre-Cole weight of 109 lbs. with added muscle tone.
If muscle mass begins to affect my weight in pounds, this will be fine with me as long as I'm slimming down and able to get into my old jeans. I was a size 4-5.

Wish me luck!

I'm grateful for my people...

Just finished visiting with very good friends. Going to ATL tomorrow to visit with more family that I love so much I can't put it in words. Christmas always reminds me of how much I miss being with all those people and how precious the visiting moments are. I love these lyrics to this Sara Groves' song...

And I wish all the people I love the most
Could gather in one place
And know each other and love each other well

And I wish we could all go camping
And lay beneath the stars
And have nothing to do and stories to tell
We'd sit around the campfire
And we'd make each other laugh remembering when
You're the first one I'm inviting
Always know that you're invited, my friend

Do you believe in magic?

I was involved in a typical conversation with Josh and my parents last night about other-worldly matters. A lot of families delve lightly into conversation and sometimes make small talk just to satisfy their obligation to "talk" as a family. My family plunges into the deepest of debates about existence, supernatural interactions, the differences between the qualities that make up who God is and the qualities that make up church people...ultimately, we plan to fix the world. Heavy topics and ones that would give most people indigestion or at least a headache over their dinner.

Last night we were talking about magic and the importance of the imagination. Josh has been reading GK Chesterton the last few weeks. I have not read Chesterton's writing in full, yet, but have heard various quotes from him over the years. What I have heard has touched on a deeply precious awareness I have always had of God's power and creativity. God's imagination. And His magic. Yes, I said magic.

A lot of Christians today despise that word. It's as if Christians can be sucked into some kind of inescapable darkness if they dare to think of magic. I love the term, especially in reference to God. To me, there is no other word to use when describing God's blend of beauty and power that lingers on everything He does or touches. Simply referring to Him as Creator is not enough. I can be creative. Referring to Him as powerful almost captures it but still, a machine can be powerful. It is His magic that makes Him impossible to clone or fully grasp. His "deeper magic".

I am constantly aware of the fact that my understanding of God and my analysis of God is very different from most Christians I have met. Most would probably think I am a heretic if I really felt free to be myself. It's not that I understand it all. It's not that I'm even close. (Maybe that's why I'm different-- because I don't claim to be able to fully explain God to you, nor do I think anyone should really try) Usually I find that I am different because I enjoy this life. I enjoy His creation and the fact that He chose to create me and bless me with the opportunity to interact with the rest of His creation. I enjoy the earth. I am amazed by it and I never want to leave. That's right. I never want to leave. And I hope that I've guessed correctly at God's plan, that I won't have to-- He's just going to clean it up a little and make it even better for us.
One day even our neglect and abuse to His creation will be untraceable. And, I hope we're not living on streets of gold (I'm not really that into gold-- I like silver more-- And I really don't enjoy streets). I hope I'm running through His overgrown (not mowed), green grass. And I hope the smokey mountains are smokey with the natural smoke again-- not the pollution that has replaced the natural mist. I hope my lungs will do a "double-take" at that first real breath they're able to take in, that's not coated with the film of human carelessness. No, I don't want to escape here. And more than seeing and experiencing all of that, I hope everyone I love is there with me too. No, not just my christian loved ones that have gone away. I want all my people with me. That's why I'm in no hurry to go anywhere. I have too much to do.

Life, even abundant life, is made up of all the beauty, cultural differences, even theological differences, myth, stories, humanity, the supernatural and everything in between that moves us along through our journey. It's the magic. There is no separation between these worlds and these elements. That's why its so magical. I don't have to see it to believe it. Sometimes I can't believe what I'm seeing. It's magical and it's here with us now. Sometimes, if we're awake enough we'll catch a glimpse of the stranger side of the supernatural. Sometimes the things that seem so natural are unexplainable when you really consider them. And I'm so glad I can't explain it all.